Adjustable governor for fuel feed



J. D. RYDER ADJUSTABLE GOVERNOR FOR FUEL FEED May 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. l0, 1947 May 9, 1950 J. D. RYDER- 2,506,940

ADJUSTABLE GOVERNOR FOR FUEL FEED Filed Feb. l0, 1947 2 Sheets-S5691. 2

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE GOVERNOR FOR FUEL FEED John D. Ryder, Clinton, Mo.

Application February 10, 1947, Serial No. 727,611

(Cl. 'M -526) Claims. l

This invention relates to new and useful imlprovements in an adjustable governor for fuel feed to an internal combustion engine, and has particular reference to a means for limiting the speed of an automotive vehicle.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an adjustable stop whereby the movement of the links and levers for operating the usual throttle valve of a carburetor is limited, thereby limiting the fuel supplied to, and the speed of, the engine.

Another object is the provision of a convenient means for adjusting said stop, said means comprising a rotatable knob mounted at the instrument panel of the automobile or in some other position convenient to the driver, said knob being equipped with a `pointer for indicating the set speed on a suitable dial.

Still another object is the provision of a means for locking said adjusting means when desired to prevent unauthorized tampering with the adjustment thereof.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease, rapidity, and accuracy of adjustment, and adaptability for installation in many existing vehicles With a minimum of alteration and expense.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will become apparent during the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of one form of the present invention mounted in an automobile.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line II-II of Figure l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line III-III of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line V-V of Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation, in section; of the adjustable stop mechanism mounted on the engine block.

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section taken on line VII-VII of Figure 6.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on line VIII-VIII of Figure 6.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views. As shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, the engine compariment lll of an automobile has mounted therein an engine l2 having a carburetor i4. The carburetor is provided with a throttle valve IS having an operating crank i8 pivotally connected atits outer end with link 20. The opposite end of said link is pivotally connected to an upwardly extending leg 22 of U-shaped member 2. The other leg 25 of said U-shaper member extends upwardly into vertically disposed tubular housing 28, and terminates therein in an enlarged foot 3G adapted to contact the lower end of adjustable stop screw 32 as hereinafter described.

An vangled crank 34 is pivotally connected at the intersection of its arms to engine I2 by means of bracket 38. Arm 38 of said crank is pivotally connected with U-shaped member 2li in vertical alignment with leg 26 thereof. Arm du of said crank is pivotally connected with rigid link 4Z, said link extending through hole le provided in floor board d6, and being pivotally connected at its rearward end with the lower surface of accelerator pedal 48. Disregarding for the moment the action of adjustable stop screw 32, it will be seen that whenever accelerator pedal i8 is depressed'by the driver, throttle valve l5 will beopened through the action of link @2, crank 314; U-shaped member 24, link 2G, and operating crank I8. Pedal 48 is elevated and throttle valve i6 is closed whenever the driver removes his foo-t from pedal 48, by means of a leaf spring 5@ secured to oor board 46 beneath said pedal, and bearing resiliently against the lower side of said pedal.

Housing 52 is rigidly mounted on engine block I2 by means of mounting bracket 54, and is provided with a downwardly extending tubular 'extension 28 and an upwardly extending tubular extension 5S, said tubular extensions being in axial alignment, and upper extension 55 being closed at its upper end by `cap 58 to prevent dirt or other foreign matter from entering the housing.

Stop screw 32 is carried in housing 52, extending into extensions 28 and and is retained therein by engagement in nut BIJ, said nut being rotatably retained in said housing, and prevented from any longitudinal-movement relative to said screw,` by ball bearings 62. The lower end portion'of screw 32 is unthreaded, and is provided with keys4 64 adapted for sliding movement in grooves E5 formed longitudinally in lower housing extension 28, thereby preventing any rotation of screw 32.

Nut 5) is externally toothed to provide gear teeth El! adapted to mesh with the teeth of worm gear 'it rigidly mounted on shaft 'i2 disposed substantially at right angles to screw 32. Said shaft is rotatably carried at its forward end in bearings 14 formed integrally with housing 52, and extends rearwardly through hole 16 provided therefor in re wall 18 and thence rearwardly to a point beyond the face of instrument panel 8D, being equipped at its rearward end with a knurled knob 82 by means of which said shaft may be manually rotated.

Shaft l2 is rotatably supported at a point intermediate fire wall 18 and instrument panel 30 by means of a bearing bracket 84 fixed tothe forward surface of said instrument panel. Longitudinal movement of said shaft through said bearing is prevented by stop collars 85 and 88 rige idly fixed to shaft l2 at eitherA side .of bearingfll; An arm 90 extending radially from said bearing, and an arm 92 extending radially fromfstop' collars 88 are each provided witha hole Slither@- through, said holes being adapted to register' at one point during each rotation of shaft-12. The hasp S6 of padlock 98 may be inserted through said holes to lock said shaft against rotation;

A portion of shaft '12.betweenbearing bracket 84 and knob-82 isthreaded', and carries axially thereon a substantially conical cam 180. Rotation of saidcam onV4 said" shaft is-prevented by a finger |02 rigidly attached to bearing'bracket 84, and which engagesr a' groove lllfiformed longitudinally in the edge of cam 88.

A dial plate 106 having siutable indicia thereon for indicating the governed speed is xed onthe face'of instrument panel 80 immediately above shaft 12, said platehaving astub shaft-88 projecting outwardly therefrom on which is pivotally mounted a pointer` I lllfadapted for movement relativeto said indicia. A curved armi lI2 xedzrelativelyvto saidpointer and'pivotally therewith, extendsdownwardly from'stub shaft Hi8 and contactsatiits lowery end the sloping surface of Vcam |00. A helical'spring |14- carriedj on*` shaft 88, having one of its extended ends ied in-dial plate |86 at H3 and theiother'ofits'extended"endsengaging pointer Iloat H 5, urges said pointerin a"counterclockwise direction asviewed in Figure 2, and urges arm (I2-'into contact with camv IDD.

The operation of the adjustable fuel feed governor is substantially as follows; First, padlock 98 is removed from holesv 94y inarms 9!! and 92 to permit rotation of-shaft 12, whichmay then be turnedby'manipulation of knurled knob B2, Cam 80, being prevented from rotating with said shaft by nger |02, will thereby be advanced along said shaft, anda different elevationof said cam will be presented to'arm H2, causing said arm and pointer Illto pivot about stub shaft |98. When said'pointer indicatesV the desired speed on dial |05, padlock 98may be inserted in arms B'and 92'to prevent any further rotation of shaft l2.

Rotation of shaft 12 rotatesworm gear 10 within housing 52, said worm gear meshing with and'turning externally toothed nut 6Fl.v The rotation of said nut' advancesistop screw 32v upwardly or downwardly. As described above; whenever the driver. depresses acceleratorpedal 4S'to open throttle.- valveV lil, U-shapedmember. 2t is elevatediby link '42and crank 34, one-:ofv the-legs 22 of saidiiU-shaped member beingconnectedto throttleV valve operating arm. IS-by means of'link 2G, and the other leg 26? of said U.shaped member extending upwardly into the open` lower end of lower extension 28 of housing 52 and movable therein to abut against the lower end of screw 32. Leg 26 ts loosely in` housing extension 28 to allow for the slight lateralmovement of said leg as it is raised andlowered;v

Thus, it will be:V seen: thatA the upward; moves ment of member 24, and consequently the opening of the throttle valve I6, is limited by the position of screw 32. When said screw is raised by turning knob 82, the throttle valve may be opened more widely. When the screw is lowered, the throttle valve may be opened less widely.

A feature of the invention is the accuracy of adjustment made possible. A complete revolution of nut 60 is required to advance screw 32 adistance equal to the lead.of said screw. The neness of control is thus limited only by the neness of the threads on the screw.

Another feature is the ease and rapidity with which the -driver may adjust the governor in conformance with the speed laws of the locality through which he is driving. The adjustment may be made without leaving the seat of the car, and without stopping the car.

What I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

l. In an automotive vehicle having a throttle valve for controlling the fuel feed to the engine thereof and a linkage connecting a foot pedal with said-throttle valve, the combinationl with-a portion of said linkage having a substantially straight line movement, of a governor for fuel feed comprising a stop for engaging said portion and limiting the movement thereof during the opening of said valve, means operable from the riving compartment of said vehicle for adjusting said stop, a cam carried by said actuating means and movable thereby, and an indicator disposed in said driving compartment and operable by said cam to indicate the adjustment of saidstop.

In an automotive vehicle having a throttle valve for controlling the fuel feed to the engine thereof and a linkage for operating said valve, the combination with a member of said linkage having a substantially straight line movement of a. governor for fuel feed comprising a housing fixed to a rigid part of the vehicle, a screw carried for longitudinal movement in said housing, said screw being adapted to abut at one end against said linkage member and to limit the movement thereof during the opening of said valve, means for adjusting the'position of said screw in said housing, and means for maintaining said screw and said linkage member in alignment.

3. in an automotive vehicle havingY a throttle valve for controlling the fuely feed to the engine thereof and a linkage'for operating said valve, the combination with a member of said linkage having a substantially straight line movement of a governor for fuel feed comprising a housing xed to a rigid portion of the vehicle, a screw carried for longitudinal movementv in said housing, said screw being adapted to abut at one end against said linkage member and to limit the movement thereof during the opening of said valve, means securing said screw against rotation, an internally threaded nut engaging said screw and carried for rotation in said housing, and means for rotating said nut, said linkage member projecting at all times intosaid housing, whereby it isY maintained in alignment with said screw.

4. In an automotive vehicle having a throttle valve for conrolling the fuell feedl to thel engine thereof and a linkage for operating said valve, the combination with a member of said linkage having a substantially straight line movement of a governor for fuel feed comprising a housing fixed to a rigid portion of the vehicle, a screw carried` for longitudinal movement in said housing, said screw being adapted to abut at one end against said linkage member and to limit the movement thereof during the opening of said valve, means securing said screw against rotation, an internally threaded nut engaging said screw andv carried for rotation in said housing, said nut having external gear teeth formed thereon, a Worm gear carried in said housing and meshing with said gear teeth, and means for rotating said Worm gear.

5'. In an automotive vehicle having a throttle valve for controlling the `fuel feed to the engine thereof and linkage for controlling said valve, a stopflfor limiting the movement of one of the members of said linkage v, during the opening of said valve, and means for adjusting said stop, said adjusting means being operable by the rotation of fa shaft extending into the driving compartment of said vehicle, manual means for rotating said shaft, and means for indicating the adjustment of said stop within the driving compartment, said means comprising a pointer pivotally mounted on a suitable dial fixed to the instrument panel of the vehicle, a cam follower arm xed to said pointer, a substantially conical cam axially threaded on said shaft and engaging said follower arm, and means for preventing the rotation of said cam on said shaft.

JOHN D. RYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,196,976 Pembroke Sept. 5, 1916 1,588,660 Christensen June 15, 1926 2,230,527 Crawford et al. Feb. 4, 1941 2,295,897 Gillespie Sept. 15, 1942. 2,351,211 Hodgson June 13, 1944 

